Ladder



March 20, 1945. N. DAHLANDER LADDER Filed Aug. 31, 1943 ATTORNEY plosion or the like.

Patented Mar. 20, 1945 garnets LADDER;

Noel L; Dahlander, New Milford, Pa, assignor of M I one-half to Robert J. Earl, New Canaan, Coma Application Au ust 31, 1943,;S'81'i2t1NQ5b0 60 Claims. (01.2%}40):

This invention relates to ladders in general and more especially to pilots ladders and the. like.

,Among the objects of the present invention it is. aimed to provide an improved ladder suitable for use as a pilot's ladder or the like, characterized by' flexible longitudinally extending stilesor suspensory members, broad tread rigid rungs, and clips for connecting the rungs to the .suspensory members and for spacingthe ladder and particularly the rungs from the side of the structure along which the ladder is used.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved ladder suitable for use as a pilots ladder or the like, characterized by flexible longitudinally extending strands or suspensory members, broad tread rungs composed of a plurality of rigid rungs, spacers for,

spacing the ladder, and particularly the rungs from the ide of the structure along which the ladder, is being used and connecting means for connecting the spacers and rungs to the suspensory members, all in the interest of producing a ladder which can be expeditiously packed up into a comparatively small space when not in use and which can in turn be expeditiously. unwrapped and swung over the side of a vessel or the like in the case of an emergency, and which ,will stand up under the excessive wear and tear towhich it may be subjected in case of an ex- These, and other features, capabilitiesand ad'- vantages of the invention will appear from the subjoined detail description of one specific embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompany- 'ing drawing in. which Figure 1 is a plan view. I Y Fig. 2 is .a side elevation partly broken away and partly in section.

I Fig. 3 is a section on. the line 3'-3 of Fig. 2'.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section of one of the clips.

. Fig- 5 is a section on the line 5-5 orFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section onthe line- 6-:6 of Fig.3.

In the embodiment shown the stiles, s'uspensory members or strands I-, I are illustratedas composed of chain links 2, preferably composed of the lock link type, having parallel loops 3, 3 at one end, the upper ends oftheirshanks 4, 4 connected with the main loop 5 of the next adjacent or next succeeding link 2.

The uppermost links 2, 2 of the stiles I, I,- respectively, are preferably connected as shown to inverted links 6, 6 by rivets 1 extending through parallel loops 3, 3 of adjacent links 2 and 6. The

links 6, 6 are provided with shields 8 to form I55 disk I2 is provided with a clip Zlhaviiig a pair of vention. I

. The-rungs III are formed to; provide abroad the spacers or spacing elements wearing surfaces for the lashreceiving rings 9,

Between the rings-9,8 of.lthe, stiiles I, I, respec- I 'tively,, and the first rung Ill there are preferably ,provided'a plurality of links 2. In, the present instance, and as indicative, of: good practice, there are shown eightlinks in. each stile 1-, including the link 6, although thenumber of course can vary according. to the duty to beperformed without departing from the general spiritof the intread in the interest of serving a substantial sup- :port for the user, and in turn, due to the violent use to which these Iaddersmay be subjected, each rung II) in. the present instancefi's composed of a plurality of tread members twosections II, II for each rung 'beingshow iflso that should one 'sectio'n'll be injured or destroyed,the other section Itmayservealone. j I r t In the present instance these sections are shown'as' composed of woodand havin-g their corners beveled or chamferedin the interest of protecting the handset the user sharpcorners. t 4 theend's of each rung from unduly I flthere are provided I2 composed in the present instance of metal: oval dish-shaped diskshaving inwardlyturned or rolled edge portioris or rims is, preferably of greater thickness .30 lthani theaveragethicknessof the face portions ttlof the dlsks I2 andlthe disks; I2 also have in the present instance inwardly turned-flanges the disk t2 proper is-one-eighth. of an inch, then :onre,ofrthe ears I5 of a pair has welded thereto a reinforcing plateor strip It so thatsuch reinforced ear I5 with its reinforcing plate Ij6 may be tapped to receive thescrjews H. In the present instance each pair of ears has-a pair of screws it passing, down through the upper ear, then through the gripped endpof the section II and screw-threadedly' connected to: the lower rein- .forcedear l5aand thereupon. upset. I

The disks l2 also haveoutwardly pressed ribs .or grooves I8, I9 and 20 with the edge I3 adjacent the grooves I8 and 20 interrupted and bent outwardly as particularly shown in Fig. 4, the

Preferably as shown, in the interest of good practice, there are provided seven'links between each two successive rungs I0, although this number of course can be varied without departing from the general spirit of the invention.

Preferably as shown, the two sections I I of each rung ID are spaced apart sufficiently not only to clear the stiles I, but also to enable the user, often provided with heavy gloves, to grasp the outermost section II and at the same time stick his fingers between the two sections I I of a rung.

Preferably as shown, the width of the disk I2 from the innermost section I I to the side of the structure with which it is being used is suflicient to enable the user, either to grasp the innermost section if necessary without danger of injury, or to prevent the toe of his shoe or boot being caught in such space.

In actual use excellent results have been achieved when the dimensions of these disks are about five inches wide in a transverse direction and eight and. one-fourth inches long in a longithem in place as shown- The upper ends of the uppermost boots are secured to the links 6 by any suitable means such as the grommets 26.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without. departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ladder having flexible suspensory members composed of chain links, rungs composed of a plurality of wood sections, the sections of each rung spaced from one another in a transverse direction, metal spacing disks for spacing. the ladder from the structure with which it is being used having an imperforate medial area, ears pressed out of said disks to either side of said medial area and secured to the ends of said rungs,

and means for connecting said suspensory members to said disks along said medial area intermediate said rungs, the outer faces of said'disks and the outer faces of said suspensory members being in substantial alinement with one another to reduce obstructions to a minimum.

2. A ladder having flexible suspensory members, rungs composed of a plurality of sections, the sections of each rung spaced from one another in a transverse direction, metal spacing disks for spacing the ladder from the structure with which it is being used having an imperforam medial area, flanges extending'from said disks and connected to said rungs to either side of said medial area, clips for connecting said suspensory members to said disks along said medial area, said flexibl suspensory members composed of chain links, and flexible non-metallic boots enclosing These boots 25 are in the said chains, said clips engaging the ends of said boots to secure them in place, the Outer faces of said disks and the outer faces of said boots being in substantial alinement with one another to reduce obstructions to a minimum.

3. A ladder having flexible suspensory members composed ofchain links, rungs composed of a plurality of wood sections, the sections of each rung spaced from one another in a transverse direction, metal spacing disks for spacing the ladder from the structure with which it is being used, ears pressed from said disks to'either side of a medial imperfgrate area, screws extending through each pair of ears and the end of a rung section and screw-threadedly connected to one of said ears with the ends of said screws upset, clips, and screws for extending through the upper and lower endsof the medial imperforate areas of said disks, through said chains and through said clips and screw-threadedly connected to said clips with their ends upset to anchor said chains to extend along said medial imperforate areas between pairs of rung sections, the outer faces of said disks and the outer faces of said suspensory members being in substantial alinement with one another to reduce obstructions to a minimum.

4. A ladder having flexible suspensory members, rungs composed of a plurality of sections, the sections of each rung spaced from one another in a transverse direction, metal spacing disks for spacing the ladder from the structure with which it is being used, said rungs being connected to said spacing disks, clips for connecting said disks to said suspensory members, said disks being oblong, having inwardly turned rolled edges, and ribs pressed outwardly to clear said chains, the ribs alining with the longitudinal axes of said disks. I

5. A ladder having flexible suspensory members, rungs composed of a plurality of sections, the sections of each rung spaced from one another in a transverse direction, metal spacing disks for spacing the ladder from the structure with which it is being used, said rungs being connected to said spacing disks, and clips for connecting said disks to said suspensory members, said disks having ribs pressed outwardly to clear said chains, the ribs alining with the longitudinal axes of said disks.

NOEL L. DAHLANDER. 

